Latch for automobile doors



16, 1929 Q P. H. GASKINS 1,721,016

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Oct, 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY WJ J'M A TTORNEYS.

July 16, 1929. GASKINS 1,721,016

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Oct. 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 6. MM?" A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 16, 1929.

NETED STATES PALEMON H. GASKINS, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS.

Application filed. October 3, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in latches for doors of automobiles and, more particularly, to the latch disclosed in my former Patent No. 1,578,118, of March 23, 1926. It has for an object certain improvements in the structural features of the patented de vice to render the latch more eflicient in its operation and better adapted to its purpose. It has for a further object the provision of means whereby the catch actuating means, operable from the exterior of the door to disengage the catch from its keeper, may be rendered inoperative so that the door cannot be opened from the exterior of the vehicle when the mechanism is set for the purpose.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, in which similar refer ence characters designate corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a latch mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, showing one oi the operating levers.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing modifications of certain parts.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 designates the body part of the vehicle, to which is hinged the door 11 in the usual manner. Only so much of the body part and door is shown as is necessary to illustrate the application of the invention. liilounted on the face 01 the free edge of the door is the bell-crank catch 12, with one arm extending horizontally across the edge of the door and with the other arm extending vertically along the door edge. A bolt 13 extending through the vertical arm of the catch and the frame of the door pivots the catch in operative position to the door. The free end of the horizontal arm of the catch is notched in its upper edge, as at 1 1, to engage the under edge of the keeper 15 secured to wall of the vehicle part and extending transversely of the catch when the door is closed. The catch is normally pressed upward to engage the keeper by the upper and lower springs 16 and 17, respectively. The upper spring 16 is attached at its upper end the screw 18 to the door and its lower end in the opening 19 in the. catch Serial No. 223,740.

jacent its free end. The spring 16 is under tension and normally pulls the catch upward to engage the keeper when the two are moved together. The spring 17 under compression is seated in a socket in the door and bears against the under side of the catch toforce it upward to engage the keeper. Either or both springs may be used to meet difi'erent requirements. The vtree end of the catch is provided with a beveled nose 20 to ride under the keeper to depress the catch into engagement with the keeper when the door is closed.

Means are provided for depressing the catch to permit opening of the door that are operable either from the interior or the exterior of the automobile. Pivotally mounted on the bolt 13 is the angular lever 21 with a horizontal arm 22 extending across the face of the door edge above the horizontal arm of the catch 12. -The horizontal arm of the angular lever overlaps the vertical arm of the catch and the bolt 13 provides a common pivot for both. The vertical and horizontal arms of the catch are relatively ol'l set so that the horizontal arm 22 of the angular lever is positioned in the same vertical plane with the horizontal arm of the catch and with their adjacent edges in mutual engagement. The vertical arm 23 of angular lever forms a handle normally extendingdownward in parallel relation to the outer side of the door and slightly offset from the same. hen this handle is pulled away from the outer side of the door, the angular lever is turned on the pivot 13. The turning of the horizontal arm 22 of the lever depresses the free end of the catch 12, against the action of the springs 16 and 17, to release the keeper 15 and thereby the door is freed so that it can be opened. lVhen the handle is released the springs return the catch and lever to their normal positions. With the catch in its normal position, when the door is slammed to close the same, the beveled nose 20 of the catch rides beneath the keeper until the latter engages the notch 1 1.

Means operable from the interior of .the vehicle are provided. for releasing the catch and in this means is included mechanism for locking the catch in closed relation to the keeper so that it can not be raised by the handle 23 exterior of the vehicle, A. lever 24 is j l, by the pin 25 to tl inner side I 4". 1 A i @112 h am a r... we 7 a handle 26 is formed. In its normal position the lever upright and projecting from its sides, opposite to the pivot 25, is the arm 2? angnlarly disposed with relation to the lever. lVith the lever in an upright position the outer end of the arm 27 contacts with the upper edge of the catch 12. hen the lever is moved to the left at its upper end as shown in Fig. 3, the arm depresses toe catch against the action ot the springs lti and 17 to disengage the keeper 15'), so that the door can be opened.

To the lower end of the lever 2-l-, which extends below the pivot 25, is secured the dog extending in the same general direction as the arm 27. The outer end (it this dog, with the lever Z-l in its normal upright position, is positioned opposite a recess 29 in the lower corner of the inner end of the horizontal arm 22 of the bell-crank lever 21. When the lever 2st moved to the right at its upper end, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of the dog 28 is projected into the recess 29 beneath the inner end of lever 21. ll ith the end of the dog so positioned, downward movement of the inner end of the lever 21 is prevented. \Vith these parts so engaged, the handle 23 on the exterior of the door cannot be actuated to depress the catch 12 to unlatch the door. \Vhen the driver of a closed automobile is desirous of looking all the doors so that they cannot be opened from the exterior of the vehicle, by simply moving the lever 24 as above indicated the driver can secure the doors before he leaves the car, one of the doors being left unlocked lor exit. The remaining door can be locked by a key in the usual manner from the exterior ot the car.

In I igs. 5 and 6 modifications of the latch mechanism are shown. In Fig. 5, the catch 121 and the actuating lever 211 are indicated as being mounted on individual pivots 131 and 1232, respectively, instead of on a common pivot as in the first instance. In the modification the catch is a straight bar, instead ot the previous bell-crank formation. The structure and operation of the other parts are the same as in the first disclosure.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the catch 122 and the actuating lever 212 are mounted on a common pivot 1.33, the catch being a straight bar extending along the side of the horizontal arm of the actuating lever. On the upper edge of the horizontal arm of the actuating lever is a lug 13st engaging the upper edge of the catch so that depression of the arm moves the catch to release the keeper.

What I claim is:

1. In a latch for automobile doors, the combination with a keeper attached to the body part of an automobile, of a bell-crank catch having an upright arm pivoted to the edge or the door and a horizontal arm ca tending across the edge of the door, said horizontal arm having a, notch adjacent its :tree end to engage the keeper, a spring normally tending to move the catch to engage the notched end of the horizontal arm with the keeper, and an angular lever pivoted to the door having one arm engaging the horizontal arm of the catch and the other arm extending to the exterior of the door to pro vide an operative handle tor thelever, said lever being operable to move the -atch against the action of the spring to disengage the keeper.

2. In a latch for tldliOlllUlJllG doors, "the combination with a keeper attacl'ied to the body part of an automobile, ot a. bell-crank catch having an upright arm pivoted to the edge of the door and a horizontal arm extending across the edge of the door, said horizontal arm having a notch adjacent its "free end to engage the keeper, a spring normally tending to move the catch to engage the notched end of the lnn'izontal arn'i with the keeper. and an angular lever having a, horizontal arm extending across the upright arm of the catch and contacting with the top part of the horizontal arm of the catch, the horizontal arm of the lever being pivoted to the edge of the door coincidentally with the upright arm of the catch, said angular lever also having a vertical arm exterior of the door to provide an operative handle for the lever, said lever being operable by the handle to move the catch against the action of the spring to disengage the keeper.

3. In a latch for automobile doors, the combination with a keeper attached to the body part of an automobile, of a catch pi v oted to the automobile door to engage the keeper, a spring normally tending to move the catch into engagement with the keeper, an angular lever pivoted to the door having one arm engaging the catch and the other arm extending to the exterior of the door to provide an operative handle for the lever, said lever being operable to move the catch against the action of the spring to disengage the keeper, a second lever pivoted to the door and provided with a handle on the inner side of the door, and a dog fixed on the second lever to be projected by movement or the second lever into engagement with the angular lever to prevent actuation of the latter by its handle exterior of the door.

4-. In a latch for automobile doors, the combination with a keeper attached to the body part of an automobile, of a belhcrank catch having an upright arm pivoted to the edge of the door and a horizontal arm ex tending across the edge of the door, said horizontal arm having a notch adjacent its free end to engage the keeper, a

spring normally tending to move the catch ing a horizontal arm extending across the uprightarm of the catch and bearing at its lower edge on the upper edge of the horizontal arm of the catch, said horizontal arm of the angular lever having a recess in its lower edge, said horizontal arm of the angular lever being pivoted to the edge of the door coincident-ally with the upright arm of the catch, said angular lever also having a vertical arm exterior of the door to provide an operative handle for the lever, the angular lever being operable by the handle to move the catch against the action of the spring to disengage the keeper, a second lever pivoted to the door and provided with a handle on the inner side of the door, and a dog fixed on the second lever to be projected by movement of the second lever into the recess in the lower edge of the horizontal arm of the angular lever, said dog so positioned operating to prevent downward movement of said horizontal arm to depress the catch.

5. In a latch for automobile doors, the combination with a keeper attached to the body part of an automobile, of a catch pivoted on the automobile door to engage the keeper, a spring normally tending to move the catch to engage the keeper, a lever pivoted to the door and operable on the outer side of the closed door; said catch and lever having mutual engagement so that movement of 'the lever in one direction. operates the catch against the action of the spring to release the keeper, said spring operating to return the mutually engaged catch and lever to their normal positions, and said catch being movable on its pivot independently of the lever to engage and disengage the keeper; a second lever pivoted to the door and operable on the inner side of the closed door said lever having a plurality of arms with one of the arms positioned to move the catch to disengage the keeper when the second lever is moved in one direction and with a second arm positioned to engage the first lever when the second lever is moved in the opposite direction, the engagement of the second arm with the first lever preventing movement of the first lever to actuate the catch.

6. In a latch for automobile doors, the combination with a keeper attached to the body part of an automobile, of a catch and an operative lever mounted on a common pivot on the automobile door, and a spring normally tending to move the catch to engage the keeper, said catch and operative lever having a mutual engagement so that movement of the lever in one direction operates the catch against the action of the spring to disengage the keeper, the catch being free to engage and disengage the keeper independently of the lever with said lever in its normal position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PALEMON H. GASKINS. 

